It is known that the prior-art coaxial electric connectors of the type shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 comprise two connector elements, each formed by an electrically conductive body 41, 42, a central conductor 43, 44 located within the body and insulated from it and, on one face 45, 46, known as the coupling face, of the connector element, a coaxial contact element comprising an outer contact 47, 48 connected to the body, or forming an integral part of the body, and a central contact 49, 50 connected to the central conductor 43, 44, both the outer contact and the central contact being coaxial, centered on the axis 51, 52 of the connector element and making it possible to assure the connection with the associated electrical connector element.
In the known connectors, the connecting of the two connector elements can take place only if the two connector elements are brought together with their coupling faces 45, 46 facing each other and with their axes 51, 52 correctly merged along a coupling direction, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
However, under certain circumstances, the two connector elements cannot be brought close to each other with their coupling axes 51, 52 strictly on-line.
In particular, this is true of basket-end connectors, which serve to connect electric devices mounted in slide-shaped housings to electric cables or other electric devices.
Basket-end connectors comprise in each case a connector element mounted on the rear wall of the housing and a connector element mounted on the end wall of a recess intended to receive this housing.
Upon the insertion of the housing into the recess, these two parallel walls come into the vicinity of each other, and the two connector elements are coupled to each other.
It will be understood that this coupling is effected without it being possible to see the connector elements nor to intervene on them, which is referred to by the expression "blind coupling".
Due to this "blind" coupling, it is not possible to note that the two connector elements are out of line at the time that they are brought together, either due to their mounting or by reason of a slight shift resulting from play between the housing and the recess.
When there are only slight angular variations between the axes of the connector elements, the elasticity of the outer and central contacts of each connector element is sufficient to tolerate the lack of alignment.
On the other hand, when the angular variations are greater, for instance, on the order of 5 degrees, as is shown in FIG. 3, it is not possible to couple the two connector elements without the danger of irreversibly deforming them or breaking them.
EP-A-0159116 describes a floating coaxial connector element intended to be mounted on the end of the basket. This connector element comprises a movable central contact and a rigid outer contact, which are fixed with respect to each other and mounted floating via a coil spring in a fastening cup secured to an end panel.
Such a connector element solves the alignment problem described above, but it can only be mounted on a cable, the end of which can move in order to follow along in the movements of the floating connector element upon the coupling.
Furthermore, this connector element is expensive and bulky.
The present invention is directed at providing a coaxial connector element, which solves the alignment problem described above in a different manner, so as to be compatible not only with a cable, but also with a fixed, rigid coaxial conductor, while not taking up much space and being as simple and economical to produce.